CG4007: Many corporates and governments are focusing on sustainable energy sources: Sustainable Energy Assignment, TUD, Ireland

Biomass  Assignment  

Introduction: In the contemporary business environment, many corporates and governments are focusing on sustainable energy sources for production and consumption. Increased focus on sustainable energy in household and industrial consumption attributes to the rise in the use of different forms of clean energy such as hydrogen. Biomass is one of the sources of renewable energy that is used as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels (Gosalvez, 2021). One of the primary benefits of biomass is that it may not be depleted like fossil fuels due to the abundance of plants on Earth. Research shows that the possible depletion of fossil fuels can exacerbate the extraction of biomass energy for sustainable consumption (Mekhelif et al., 2011). This paper compares the direct burning of biomass, biomass to gas, and biomass to liquid options based on techno-economic arguments.

Biomass to gas: Biomass to gas is another common method of converting biomass to useful energy. With the current technological developments, technology is used in converting biomass into usable gas for industrial and household consumption. Biomass to gas is achieved by Biomass Gasification Technology, which offers multiple benefits for converting solid waste into energy. One of the major benefits of converting biomass to gas is that it promotes the reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. The techno-economic impact of the reduction in GHG can be attributed to the significant reduction in environmental pollution. Biomass or solid waste is considered carbon-neutral biofuel since it releases an equal amount of carbon into the atmosphere as it is absorbed during its lifetime. On contrary, fossil fuel increases the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere since the carbon has been trapped for a long period.

With the reduction in GHG through the conversion of biomass to gas, the system will enhance the decline in major health risks through reduced air, water, and land pollution. Pollution is one of the significant causes of health risks such as respiratory diseases. A reduction in carbon emissions through the conversion of biomass to gas will reduce the major health risks. More specifically, the conversion of biomass to gas promotes environmental protection, thus lowering environmental pollution (Sobamowo, 2018). Corporates and mass producers of biomass energy should consider the gasification of biomass as one of the appropriate methods for converting solid waste into useful energy.

Studies show that the biomass gasification option is meeting the electricity needs of domestic, irrigation, and rural small industrial thermal activities at a relatively lower cost (Sobamowo, 2018). The unit cost of electricity is relatively lower using biomass gasification technology for power generation systems. Lower cost of electricity is not only economically viable, but it is also sustainable. Despite the benefits of biomass gasification technology, the method can be affected by increasing environmental threats such as wildfires that have been witnessed in various parts of the world including the United States, Europe, and Australia (Cardoso et al., 2019). In summary, biomass gasification technology is essential in reducing environmental pollution and reducing the cost of sustainable energy.